Arthur Clark: Gloucester lock on how ‘special’ England debut will make him better

Gloucester lock Arthur Clark said he has come away from England’s tour this summer a better player.

Clark won his first England cap in their 40-5 victory against the USA in July having been called up to his first national tour which also included Test matches in South America.

The 23-year-old said “definitely” when asked if the experience had improved him as a player.

“I feel like I probably need to put into practice all the stuff I learned,” he told BBC Radio Gloucestershire.

“Being in that environment, being surrounded by people like George Ford, Ben Spencer, Henry Slade, Ben Curry, Charlie Ewels was just special, you naturally take on board their actions and the way they play the game.”

Yet Clark said the “most interesting” part was being able to talk to Borthwick, who played as a lock during his career for Bath, Saracens and England.

“That was probably the most interesting and the best bit on the tour, being able to pick his brains and having meetings with him around the line-out – which was his speciality and hopefully will become mine,” he added.